Philip m



(No Model.)

P. M. MAY.

FILE HOLDER.

No. 282,742. Patented Aug. 7, 1883.

INVENTOR I Attorney WITNESSES 52cc. "h/7 UNITED STATES PATENT rFicE.

PHILIP M. MAY, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FILE-HOLDER.

A SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 282,742, dated August7, 1883.

Application filed April .27, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP M. MAY, of the city of Washington, Districtof Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFile-Holders, of which the following is a full and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisspecification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a file-box,showing my improved locking device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sideview of the same; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the locking devisedetached, showing a locking-arm on both si es.

My invention relates to that class of file-holders having a pivotedend-board adapted to be swung back for enlarging the file-receptacle,for permitting the ready inspection of the papers contained therein orthe removal of any one thereof, and to be returned to its upright ornormal position to again compress the papers; and the inventionconsists, first, in the combination, with a fileholder having thegrooved sides and the hinged or pivoted end, of a pivoted tilting orrocking catch adapted to engage a pin or staple,'and with the handle foropening the same.

It further consists in the combination, with the file-holder having thehinged or pivoted end, of a rocking catch provided with a handle foroperating said catch.

It further consists in the combination, with the file-holder, of atilting bifurcated locking device for locking the end in any desiredposition, provided with a handle for operating saidlocking device fromthe front of the holder, all as hereinafter. explained. I

In the accompanying drawings, A is the filebox, composed of the uprightend-board, A, and the inclined sides A and having a suitable bottom, Aflthese parts being constructed in any usual or preferred manner.

B is the front end-board, pivoted at its lower end between the sideboards, A in any preferred way. The side board orboards are providedwith curved grooves or slots a, as shown, and in which grooves the armsof the locking device hereinafter described move.

0 is the locking device, composed of an inclined horizontal bar, 0, anda curved side arm, 0 and is also provided on its opposite end with a lugor ear, O hereinafter referred closing-case.

] to. The curved side arm is notched, as shown at b b, for adapting saidarm to engage a pin or staple connected to the sideboard of the box inthe slot formed therein. The notches are formed in'the arm, so as toengage the pin at the extreme limits of the throw of the hingedend-board, for locking the same in either its upright or inclinedposition. The arm, however, may be provided with additional notches, ifdesired, for holding the end at different inclinations.

The locking device constructed as above described is pivoted to thehinged board by means of a rod or bolt, 0 passing through the ear 0 andthrough the board, and engaging a perforation formed in the locking-armoppo site the perforation formed in the ear.

The horizontal bar 0 is provided centrally of its length with a curvedprojection, 0*, forming a thumb-piece or handle, which serves as a pullfor drawing the file-box out where said box is inclosed in a case, orwhere a s'eries'or nest of such boxes are used. a

The slots or grooves are cut in the side board or boards of such depththat the edge or face of the locking-arm, when placed therein, shall bebelow or flush with the sides of the box, for permitting a series ofboxes to be placed closely together, and to permit the free slidingmovement of the box upon the side face of the adjacent box'or upon theface of the in- The slot is also of such width as to allow of thelocking device having sufficient play to release the notches formedtherein from engagement with the pin or staple when said locking deviceis rocked upon its pivot.

By pivoting the locking device as above described, the device is madeautomatic in its action, as it will be seen that as the arm rides overthe pin or staple in opening or closing the hinged front theweight'ofthe arm tends to throw it downward, which action causes thenotch to engage the pin or staple and to hold the same until released bythe action of the thumb-latch.

By inclining the horizontal bar of the looking device as shown anddescribed, and providing the same with the thumb-piece or handle, itwill also be seen that the locking device can be operated from the frontfor permitting the papers contained therein to be inspected withoutremoving thebox from tlie inreadily operated with one hand, therebyremeclosing-case, and also that the device can be dying a seriousobjection heretofore existing in this class of file-holder, in which itwas necessary to take the box entirely out of its inclosing-casebeforeit could be opened, and then being necessary to use both hands torelease the locking device.

I11 Fig. 3 I have shown two curved lockingbars; and it will be readilyseen that either or both may be employed with equal facility.

Iv am aware that a locking device for fileholders having spring-armsrigidly attached to the pivoted end-board for holding the same in anupright or inclined position has been heretofore used; and I'am alsoaware that looking-arms similar to mine have been employed to hold thetail-board or end-gate of wagons, and these I do not claim; but,

Having now described my invention, I claim 1. The combination, in afile-holder having the grooved sides and the hinged or pivoted end, ofthe pivoted tilting or rocking catch adapted to engage the pin or staplefor holding the end in any desired position, and with the handle foroperating the same, substantially as described.

2. In a file-holder, the hinged or pivoted end, in combination with thepivoted tilting or rocking catch provided with the pull or handle,substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

3. In a file-holder, the hinged or pivoted end having the tiltingbifurcated locking de vice connected therewith for locking the end inany desired position, in combination with the handle or pull foroperating said device from the front of said holder, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

PHILIP M. MAY.

Witnesses:

JNo. R. YOUNG, WM. H. ROWE.

